U.S. patent application number 17/542989 was filed with the patent office on 2022-03-24 for object decontamination apparatus and method.
The applicant listed for this patent is Diversey, Inc.. Invention is credited to Roderick M. Dayton.
Application Number | 20220088246 17/542989 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-03-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220088246 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dayton; Roderick M. |
March 24, 2022 |
Object Decontamination Apparatus and Method
Abstract
Provided is a decontamination apparatus including a base, and a
source that emits UVC light at a suitable intensity to at least
partially decontaminate a target object and render the target
object pathogen reduced. An adjustable support is coupled to the
base and includes an adjustment mechanism that can be manipulated
to adjust a position of the source relative to the base. A
controller is operatively connected to the source to control
emission of the UVC light and establish at least one of a suitable
duration of a decontamination process and a suitable intensity of
UVC light to render the target object pathogen reduced.
Inventors: |
Dayton; Roderick M.;
(Charlotte, NC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Diversey, Inc. |
Fort Mill |
SC |
US |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/542989 |
Filed: |
December 6, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16148597 |
Oct 1, 2018 |
11224670 |
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17542989 |
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14807974 |
Jul 24, 2015 |
10086097 |
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16148597 |
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14530510 |
Oct 31, 2014 |
9095633 |
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14807974 |
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62072577 |
Oct 30, 2014 |
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International
Class: |
A61L 2/10 20060101
A61L002/10; A61L 2/24 20060101 A61L002/24 |
Claims
1. A decontamination apparatus capable of reducing contaminants by
at least a 1 log.sub.10 reduction of contagions on a surface
comprising: a base; a source that emits UVC light at a suitable
intensity to at least partially decontaminate a target object on
which the UVC light is imparted to render the target object
pathogen reduced; an adjustable support coupled to the base that
supports the source, the adjustable support comprising an
adjustment mechanism that is manipulable to adjust a position of
the source relative to the base; a redundant occupant sensing
system configured to determine the presence of an indicator; and a
controller that is in communication with the redundant occupant
sensing system and is operatively connected to the source to
control a decontamination cycle, wherein the controller is
configured to terminate the decontamination cycle when an indicator
is detected.
2. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the redundant
occupant sensing system further comprises a plurality of sensors
configured to detect an indicator related to an occupant.
3. The decontamination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality
of sensors comprises: at least one proximity sensor that is
configured to sense movement within a predetermined distance from
the decontamination apparatus; at least one sound sensor that is
configured to sense audible sounds within the predetermined
distance from the decontamination apparatus; at least one light
sensor that is configured to sense changes in light within the
predetermined distance from the decontamination apparatus; and at
least one door sensor that is configured to determine if a door has
changed from closed to open or open to closed.
4. The decontamination apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one
of the plurality of sensors can be deactivated.
5. The decontamination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller
is configured to allow the source to operate when an indicator is
detected.
6. The decontamination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller
is configured to restart the decontamination cycle when an
indicator is no longer detected within a predetermined proximity of
the decontamination apparatus.
7. The decontamination device of claim 1, wherein the controller is
in communication with a computer-readable medium capable of storing
a record of the decontamination cycle.
8. The decontamination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the
computer-readable medium is at least one of an SD card configured
to be inserted into an SD card port on the controller, a hard drive
built into the controller, a non-transitory computer-readable
medium provided to the controller, a remote hard drive located over
a communication network, or a non-transitory medium remotely
located over a communication network.
9. The decontamination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the
computer-readable medium is configured to log a record of the
decontamination cycle to document a time when the decontamination
cycle was completed.
10. The decontamination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the
computer-readable medium is configured to log a record of premature
termination of the decontamination cycle.
11. The decontamination apparatus of claim 10, wherein the record
of premature termination comprises data concerning at least one of
a cause of an interruption, a time of an interruption, and
information indicative of a specific location in which an
interruption occurred.
12. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus
is capable of reducing contaminants by at least a 3 log10 reduction
of contagions on a surface.
13. The decontamination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the
controller is located remotely from the decontamination
apparatus.
14. The decontamination apparatus of claim 13, wherein the
controller wirelessly communicates with the decontamination
apparatus.
15. The decontamination apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a
transceiver.
16. The decontamination apparatus of claim 15, wherein the
transceiver wirelessly communicates with the controller.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of prior application Ser.
No. 16/148,597, filed Oct. 1, 2018, which is a continuation of
prior application Ser. No. 14/807,974, filed Jul. 24, 2015, which
is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 14/530,510, filed
Oct. 31, 2014, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 62/072,577, filed Oct. 30, 2014, all of which are
incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This application relates generally to a decontamination
method and apparatus and, more specifically, to an apparatus and
method for emitting ultraviolet light onto surfaces of a room for
decontamination purposes.
2. Description of Related Art
[0003] Surfaces in rooms at healthcare facilities are commonly
exposed to infectious organisms and other biologically-active
contaminants (hereinafter generally referred to as "contaminants")
spread by the patients who occupy those rooms. These contaminants
can remain viable on the contaminated surfaces to reproduce and
infect others such as subsequent patients and/or visitors, for
example, who enter the room and make contact with those surfaces.
In an effort to prevent the spread of infections, healthcare
facilities must conduct decontamination procedures in the rooms as
frequently as possible.
[0004] One example of a room where such contaminants are prevalent
is an inpatient hospital room. Surfaces such as tray tables, bed
rails, and television remote controls frequently come into direct
contact with patients during their stay in the room. These surfaces
should be decontaminated frequently to avoid a buildup of
contaminants and minimize the risk of spreading an infection from
the patient to another person who may come into contact with the
surfaces. However, manually decontaminating such rooms is labor
intensive, requiring personnel to adhere to strict guidelines
governing the use of liquid disinfectants. Further, depending on
the surfaces being decontaminated, it may not be practical to
provide the entirety of the surfaces with liquid disinfectants in
compliance with those guidelines.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to one aspect, the subject application involves a
decontamination apparatus including a base, and a source that emits
UVC light at a suitable intensity to at least partially
decontaminate a target object and render the target object pathogen
reduced. An adjustable support is coupled to the base and supports
the source, the adjustable support including an adjustment
mechanism that is manipulable to adjust a position of the source
relative to the base. A range sensor senses a property indicative
of a distance separating the source of UVC light from the target
object to be rendered pathogen reduced. A controller is operatively
connected to the source to control emission of the UVC light. The
controller is in communication with the range sensor to receive a
signal indicative of the distance separating the source from the
target object as sensed by the range sensor and includes a variable
component that establishes at least one of a duration of a
decontamination process and the suitable intensity of UVC light as
a function of the distance separating the source from the target
object.
[0006] According to another aspect, the subject application
involves a decontamination apparatus that includes a base, and a
first arm adjustably coupled to the base to allow an orientation of
the first arm to be adjusted relative to the base. The first arm
includes a longitudinally-adjustable segment that allows a length
of the arm to be adjusted. A first source is coupled adjacent to a
distal end of the first arm, emits UVC light at a suitable
intensity to at least partially decontaminate a first target object
and render the first target object pathogen reduced. A controller
is operatively connected to the first source to control emission of
the UVC light onto the first target object.
[0007] According to yet another aspect, the subject application
involves a decontamination apparatus that includes a base, and a
source that emits UVC light at a suitable intensity to at least
partially decontaminate a target object and thereby render the
target object pathogen reduced. The source includes a UVC bulb that
is operable to emit the UVC light, and a reflective shield arranged
adjacent to the UVC bulb to reflect at least a portion of the UVC
light emitted by the UVC bulb generally away from the target object
in a focused direction, generally toward the target object. The
reflective shield includes a plurality of arcuate regions, each
extending about a different axis with a different orientation. An
adjustable support is coupled to the base and supports the source.
The adjustable support includes an adjustment mechanism that can be
manipulated to adjust a position of the source relative to the
base. A controller is operatively connected to the source to
control emission of the UVC light by the source.
[0008] The above summary presents a simplified summary in order to
provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the systems and/or
methods discussed herein. This summary is not an extensive overview
of the systems and/or methods discussed herein. It is not intended
to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of such
systems and/or methods. Its sole purpose is to present some
concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed
description that is presented later.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0009] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and
arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in
detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a decontamination
system installed in an inpatient hospital room;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a source of a disinfecting agent
in the form of UVC light, the source being provided adjacent to a
terminal end of an articulated arm and being viewed from the
perspective indicated by line 2-2 in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a partially-cutaway side view of the source taken
along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a front view schematically depicting a controller
of a decontamination system;
[0014] FIG. 5 shows a side view of an alternate embodiment of a
decontamination apparatus including a base in a stowed
configuration for transportation of the decontamination
apparatus;
[0015] FIG. 6 shows a side view of an alternate embodiment of a
decontamination apparatus including a base in a stowed
configuration for transportation of the decontamination
apparatus;
[0016] FIG. 7 shows the alternate embodiment of the decontamination
apparatus appearing in FIG. 5 with the base in a deployed
configuration in which the decontamination apparatus is to be used
to decontaminate a surface;
[0017] FIG. 8 shows the alternate embodiment of the decontamination
apparatus appearing in FIG. 6 with the base in a deployed
configuration in which the decontamination apparatus is to be used
to decontaminate a surface;
[0018] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a reflective shield for
directing UVC light toward a target surface;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the reflective shield shown
in FIG. 9 taken along line 10-10; and
[0020] FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the reflective shield shown
in FIG. 9 taken along line 11-11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and
is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention.
Relative language used herein is best understood with reference to
the drawings, in which like numerals are used to identify like or
similar items. Further, in the drawings, certain features may be
shown in somewhat schematic form.
[0022] It is also to be noted that the phrase "at least one of", if
used herein, followed by a plurality of members herein means one of
the members, or a combination of more than one of the members. For
example, the phrase "at least one of a first widget and a second
widget" means in the present application: the first widget, the
second widget, or the first widget and the second widget. Likewise,
"at least one of a first widget, a second widget and a third
widget" means in the present application: the first widget, the
second widget, the third widget, the first widget and the second
widget, the first widget and the third widget, the second widget
and the third widget, or the first widget and the second widget and
the third widget.
[0023] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of an inpatient room
1 in a hospital that is accessible through a door 6 separating the
inpatient room from a hallway, for example. The room 1 is provided
with a patient bed 4 and a tray table 5 that can extend over the
patient lying in the bed 4. Although not shown, the room 1 can also
include other fixtures and features commonly found in inpatient
rooms such as a television, health-monitoring equipment such as a
heart-rate monitor, telephone, nightstand, etc. . . . Further,
although the present disclosure focuses on the decontamination of
items within an inpatient hospital room 1 for the sake of clarity
and brevity, the technology disclosed herein can be used to
decontaminate objects located anywhere, such as in hotel rooms any
other public accommodations.
[0024] Also disposed within the room 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a
decontamination apparatus 10 operable to at least partially
decontaminate, or at least render pathogen reduced, contaminated
surfaces such as the tray table 5 within that room 1. The
decontamination process can be initiated manually, and performed by
the decontamination apparatus 10 on demand, and/or can optionally
be initiated automatically according to a predetermined schedule
when the room 1 is unoccupied, as determined utilizing a plurality
of sensors as described below.
[0025] Rendering the surfaces "pathogen reduced" with the
decontamination apparatus 10 does not necessarily require the
subject surfaces to be 100% sterile, free of any and all living
organisms that can viably reproduce. Instead, to be considered
pathogen reduced, there must be a lower level of living contagions
on the decontaminated surfaces capable of reproducing or otherwise
causing an infection after performance of the decontamination
process than the level that existed on the surfaces prior to
performance of the decontamination process. For example, the
exposed surfaces in the bathroom can be considered to be pathogen
reduced if at least a 1 log.sub.10 reduction of such contagions on
the surfaces remain infectious (i.e., no more than 1/10th of the
biologically-active contagions originally on the exposed surfaces
remain active or infectious at a time when the decontamination
process is completed) occurs. According to yet other embodiments,
the surfaces can be considered pathogen reduced once at least a 3
log.sub.10 reduction (i.e., 1/1,000th) of such contagions on the
surfaces is achieved.
[0026] Generally, the decontamination apparatus 10 includes one or
a plurality of sources 12 that direct a disinfecting agent toward
the surface(s) to be rendered pathogen reduced, a redundant
occupant sensing system that determines whether the room 1 is
occupied or not, and a controller 16 that interferes with emission
of the disinfecting agent by the source(s) 12 if the room 1 is, or
becomes occupied based on a signal from the occupant sensing
system. Each source 12 can be any apparatus that emits a
disinfecting agent that, when exposed to the surfaces to render
those exposed surfaces pathogen reduced. For the illustrative
embodiments described herein and shown in the drawings, each source
12 is an ultraviolet source that is to be energized to emit UVC
light as the disinfecting agent, and the surface to be rendered
pathogen reduced is the tray table 5.
[0027] As shown, each source 12 includes at least one, and
optionally a plurality of UVC bulbs 14 (FIG. 2) coupled to a
reflective shield 18 coupled to an underside of a housing 20. The
housing 20 can be pivotally coupled to a distal end of an
articulated arm 22 or other suitable support that allows the
housing 20, and accordingly the bulbs 14, to be pivoted about a
rotational axis in the directions indicated by arrow 21 and
otherwise positioned in a suitable position relative to the tray
table 5 to achieve the desired level of decontamination within a
predetermined period of time, once activated.
[0028] According to the embodiment in FIG. 1, each arm 22 has a
portion including an adjustable length extending generally away
from a base portion 25, which can be facilitated by an external
member 24 that telescopically receives an internal member 26, or
other suitable length adjustment mechanism (e.g, sliding track,
etc. . . . ). A locking member 27 such as a spring-biased pin urged
toward a locking position, etc. . . . can be provided to one or
both of the external and internal members 24, 26 to maintain a
desired length of the arm 22, once manually established. A hinge 28
or other connector suitable to allow angular adjustment of the arm
22 relative to the base 25 can be disposed between the base 25 and
the arm 22. A bendable joint 30 can also be provided anywhere along
the length of the arm 22, such as adjacent to the distal end of the
arm 22 where the housing 20 is supported. The joint 30 can be
formed from a plastically-deformable flexible material that can be
manually bent to position the housing 20, yet be sufficiently rigid
to maintain the position of the housing relative to the arm 22 once
the bending force has been removed. Further, a hinge 32 can also
optionally be positioned along the arm 22 before and/or after the
joint 30 to allow further adjustment of the position of the housing
20 and bulbs to achieve the desired coverage of the tray table 5
with UVC light. As with any of the hinges described herein, the
hinge(s) 32 can be selectively lockable, meaning a locking member
such as a set screw, for example, can be loosened to allow the
structures coupled to opposite sides of the hinge(s) 32 to be
pivotally adjusted relative to each other. Once the desired
adjustment has been completed, the set screw or other locking
member can be tightened to interfere with further pivotal
adjustment of the structures relative to each other.
[0029] The base 25 supports the arms 22 at a desired elevation
above the floor 7 of the room 1. The base 25 supports the
controller 16 that can be manipulated by a user to control
operation of the decontamination apparatus 10 (e.g., independently
control operation of each source 12 to emit UVC light, optionally
to cause one source 12 to remain energized longer than another one
of the sources 12), and optionally houses an on-board power supply
such as a rechargeable battery bank 37 storing electric energy that
can be used to energize the bulbs 14 and power the controller 16.
Being relatively heavy, the battery bank 37 can be housed within a
recess defined by a lower cap 39 of the base 25 comprising an
arcuate bottom surface 41 that rests on the floor 7. The arcuate
bottom surface 41 allows the decontamination apparatus to wobble,
if necessary, to properly position the bulbs 14 for a
decontamination process. The base 25, or another portion fo the
decontamination apparatus can optionally be provided with an
accelerometer, tip sensor, gyroscope or other type of monitoring
device that can sense when the decontamination apparatus 10 has
been picked up, falls over, moved or otherwise disturbed. In such
events, an active decontamination process can be terminated and a
new decontamination process can be prevented from being initiated.
The lower cap 39 can be threadedly connected to the base 25 so as
to be removable, and optionally interchangeable. For removable
embodiments, the lower cap 39 can be unscrewed from the base 25 to
grant access to the battery bank 37. A depleted battery bank 37 can
then be removed from the decontamination apparatus 10 and replaced
with a charged battery bank 37. For embodiments where the battery
bank 37 is integrated into the lower cap 39, the lower cap with the
depleted battery bank 37 can be replaced in its entirety with
another lower cap 39 with a charged battery bank 37. According to
alternate embodiments, the decontamination apparatus can include a
power cord that is to be plugged into an AC mains electric outlet
supplied by an electric power utility to obtain the electric energy
needed to power the decontamination apparatus 10.
[0030] The base 25 can also optionally be provided with a
connector, shown in FIG. 1 as a hook 35 that is generally shaped to
resemble an upside-down "L". The hook 35 can be placed over a
receiver or other portion of a cart hauling cleaning supplies, for
example, or any other transport vehicle, to allow transportation of
the decontamination apparatus 10 throughout the hospital for use in
a plurality of different rooms 1.
[0031] The embodiments of the base 25 are described above as a
static structure that supports the arms 22 at a desired elevation
above the floor 7 of the room 1 and optionally housing a battery
bank 37. However, alternate embodiments of the base 25' are
schematically shown in FIGS. 5-8. The base 25', according to such
alternate embodiments, includes a plurality (e.g., three in the
illustrated embodiment) of arcuate panels 82, each pivotally
coupled by a hinge 84 or other adjustable fastener to static
portion 86 of the base 25' to which the arms 22 are coupled. Each
panel 82 has an arcuate shape across a lateral dimension, to form
approximately one third (1/3) of the total circumference of the
substantially-tubular base 25' when adjusted to the stowed
configuration. In the stowed configuration, each panel 82 extends
substantially vertically upward from the static portion 86 of the
base 25' to define an internal chamber 88 into which the arms 22,
and optionally the bulbs 14, are at least partially recessed while
the decontamination apparatus 10 is in the stowed configuration.
Inward-facing surfaces of each panel 82 can optionally be coated
with, or otherwise formed from a light-colored material (e.g.,
white, off white, cream, light gray, etc. . . . ) and/or a
reflective material (e.g., metallic, reflective plastic, etc. . . .
) to enhance the reflectivity of UVC light emitted by the bulbs 14
while at least partially recessed in the chamber 88. Thus, in the
stowed configuration after being used to decontaminate a surface in
a hospital room, for example, where the inward-facing surfaces of
the panels 82 could be exposed to a biologically-active pathogen,
the bulbs 14 can be activated to emit UVC light. This UVC light
will be reflected by the inward-facing surfaces of the panels 82,
thereby promoting complete exposure of the entire internal
periphery of the chamber 88. Such activation of the bulbs 14 can
decontaminate the inward-facing surfaces of the panels 82, thereby
mitigate the risk of spreading the pathogen from one environment to
another as the decontamination apparatus 10 is transported there
between.
[0032] The base 25' can be converted from the stowed configuration
to a deployed configuration, shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in which the
decontamination apparatus 10 is ready for use. Such a conversion
can be achieved by pivotally adjusting the panels 82 about their
respective hinges 84, such that the panels 82 extend downward from
the static portion 86 at an angle (e.g., between about 45.degree.
and 90.degree. from horizontal). The inward-facing surfaces of the
panels 82 are adjusted to become substantially outward-facing
surfaces in the deployed configuration, thereby exposing those
surfaces to the elements within the room in which the
decontamination apparatus 10 is located. In the deployed
configuration, the panels 82 act as legs that separate the static
portion 86 from an underlying ground surface, and elevate the
static portion 86 and arms 22 to a height above the underlying
ground surface suitable for performing the desired decontamination
process.
[0033] The reflective shield 18 in FIG. 2 includes an arcuate or
paneled region 34 that is configured to reflect UVC light emitted
upwardly from the bulbs 14 in a downward direction, generally
towards the tray table 5 where the UVC light can decontaminate the
exposed surfaces thereof. The arcuate or paneled region 34 can
include a continuous curvature in multiple planes or a plurality
planar and reflective structures arranged to form a somewhat curved
profile to achieve the desired light pattern for the tray table 5
or other object being decontaminated. For example, and as
schematically illustrated in FIGS. 9-11, the reflective shield 18
can include a reflective surface 94 that faces the bulbs 14 that
has a gradually varying, or at least a variable, radius of
curvature in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis
47 along the length of that longitudinal axis 47 (FIG. 2). For
example, the radius of curvature of the reflective surface of the
reflective shield 18 can be greatest at a central region 96 (FIG.
11) adjacent to the location of a focal indicator 40, described
below. The radius of curvature in the transverse direction is less
than the radius of curvature at this central region at locations
further toward opposite, longitudinal ends 46 of the reflective
shield 18 along the longitudinal axis 47. The radius of curvature
can optionally be the smallest at those longitudinal ends 46.
Although the radius of curvature is used to describe the shape of
the reflective surface of the reflective shield 18, it is to be
understood that the cross-sectional shape of the reflective surface
does not necessarily have a constant radius of curvature. In other
words, the cross sectional shape of the reflective surface 94 taken
along line 10-10 in FIG. 9, a cross section that is depicted in
FIG. 10, can be a downward-opening parabolic shape, or other
desired arcuate shape that more-narrowly focuses UVC light emitted
by the bulbs 14 in the transverse direction adjacent to the
longitudinal ends 46 than adjacent to the central region along the
longitudinal axis 47.
[0034] To help with adjustment of the housing 20 and/or reflective
shield 18, a focal indicator 40 can optionally be provided to the
reflective shield 18 and/or housing 20. Locating the focal
indicator 40 between the UVC bulbs 14 as shown in FIG. 2 allows the
focal indicator to identify a general direction that is
representative of the direction in which the UVC light from the UVC
bulbs 14 will be focused. The focal indicator 40 can include a
light emitting diode ("LED"), laser light, or other optical
indicator that can project light that will illuminate a region of a
surface on which the UVC light from the UVC bulbs 14 is centered.
An example of such a region is illustrated in FIG. 1 by the broken
lines 45 appearing on the tray table 5. Thus, a user can
essentially aim the UVC light toward the surfaces to be rendered
pathogen reduced, and get a sense of the portion of the tray table
5 that will be suitably exposed to the UVC light during a
decontamination apparatus to be considered pathogen reduced within
a predetermined period of time for the power of the bulbs 14
employed.
[0035] FIG. 8 shows an alternate embodiment of the reflective
shield 18'. Unlike the embodiments described above involving a
separate reflective shield 18 provided to each source 12, the
present embodiment includes a collapsible shield 18' that is
configured to reflect UVC light emitted by a plurality (e.g., two
illustrated in FIG. 8) of bulbs 14. As shown, the reflective
collapsible shield 18' includes an aluminized or otherwise
metalized Mylar (e.g., stretched polyester film, also commonly
referred to as biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate or
"BoPET", for short) sheet 90 spanning a distance between poles 92
extending in different, optionally diverging or opposite directions
from the static portion 86 of the base 25'. Mylar is one example of
a suitable reflective surface that is collapsible, but the present
disclosure is not so limited, as any reflective surface that can be
collapsed to fit within the chamber 88 of the base 25' in the
stowed configuration will suffice. One or each of the poles 92 can
optionally be spring biased, urged by gravity or otherwise urged
toward their diverging orientations in which the sheet 90 is pulled
substantially taut to form a reflective surface extending between
the poles 92. To convert the decontamination apparatus 10 to its
stowed configuration, the poles 92 are adjusted toward each other,
allowing the sheet 90 to be folded in a fan-like manner to fit
within the chamber 88 formed by the panels 82 of the base 25', as
shown in FIG. 6.
[0036] The embodiment of the source 12 shown in FIG. 2 includes a
plurality of elongated UVC bulbs 14 that emit UVC light as the
disinfecting agent. Since such a source 12 emits only UVC light, it
is dedicated for performing the decontamination process described
herein. But regardless of the configuration of the UVC bulbs 14,
the source 12 can optionally include an intensity sensor 48 that
senses an intensity of the UVC light emitted by each UVC bulb 14
present. For the sake of brevity, the present technology will be
described hereinafter with reference to the elongated UVC bulbs 14,
although any other desired configuration of UVC bulb is a viable
alternative. The intensity of the UVC light emitted by the UVC
bulbs 14 will diminish over time. To promote thorough
decontamination of the exposed surfaces in the room 1 with a
reasonable cycle time for the decontamination process, the
intensity sensors 48 include a photosensitive component such as a
photodiode, charge coupled device, etc. . . . , operatively coupled
to the controller 16 to monitor the intensity of the UVC light from
the UVC bulbs 14. A signal indicative of the sensed intensity is
transmitted to the controller 16, which is operatively connected to
at least receive signals transmitted by the intensity sensor 48 and
the sensors of the redundant occupant sensing system as described
below. Based at least in part on the signal from the intensity
sensor 48, the controller 16 can issue a notification that one or
more of the UVC bulbs 14 is nearing the end of its useful life, and
should be replaced. Such a notification can include the
illumination of a visible indicator in the form of a LED 50
provided to the source 12 itself, or to an appropriate LED 52 (FIG.
4) provided to the controller 16, which can optionally be remotely
located from the source 12 but in communication with the source 12
via a communication channel such as a hardwired or wireless
connection, or optionally integrated as part of the source 12
itself. According to alternate embodiments, the controller 16 can
optionally be in wireless communication with a portable fob 17
(FIG. 1) having limited control features. For the illustrated
embodiment appearing in FIG. 1, for example, the portable fob 17
allows an operator to issue a START command by selecting a start
button 19 to commence a decontamination cycle from a location that
is remote (e.g., externally of the room in which the
decontamination apparatus 10 is located) from the decontamination
apparatus 10. The portable fob 17 and/or the controller 16 can
optionally be configured to commence decontamination cycles of
varying durations based, at least in part, on the number of times
the start button 19 is selected. Although the illustrated
embodiment of the portable fob 17 in FIG. 1 includes a start button
19, it can optionally lack a stop button or any other feature that
would allow the operator to terminate the decontamination cycle, on
demand, from the remote location.
[0037] FIG. 3 shows a partially-cutaway side view of the source 12
taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. To promote the longevity of the UVC
bulbs 14 provided to the source 12, a coupling 77 is arranged
between the housing 20 and the hinge 32. The coupling 77 defines an
interior passage 79 in which an electric fan 81 is located. The
Electric fan 81 can be powered with electric energy supplied by the
battery bank 37, with electric energy supplied from the AC mains
wall outlet, etc. . . . to direct cooling air over the UVC bulbs
14.
[0038] Further, one or a plurality of proximity sensors 58,
interchangeably referred to as range sensors 58, can be arranged,
optionally as an array, to sense a proximity of the housing, which
is indicative of the proximity of the bulbs 14, to the tray table 5
or other object to be rendered pathogen reduced. For example, the
proximity sensors 58 can sense light from a light source that is
reflected from the tray table 5 to determine the approximate
spacing of the housing and 20 and/or bulbs 14 from the tray table
5. Other embodiments of the proximity sensors 59 can utilize a
sensed capacitance value to determine such a proximity. According
to yet other embodiments, an ultrasonic range finder includes an
ultrasonic transceiver that emits high-frequency sound waves (e.g.,
frequencies, such as those above 20 kHz, or otherwise above the
upper limit of the human audio spectrum) and evaluates the echo
which is received back by the sensor 58, measuring the time
interval between sending the signal and receiving the echo to
determine the distance to the object to be rendered pathogen
reduced. Regardless of the technology utilized, arranging the
proximity sensors 58 in an array or at least positioning one
proximity sensor 58 at a known location promotes proper positioning
of the bulbs 14 relative to the surface of the tray table 5 to
achieve the desired level of decontamination utilizing a
decontamination process with a predetermined duration. In other
words, a scenario where one end of each bulb 14 is relatively close
to the surface of the tray table 5 and the other, opposite end of
each bulb 14 is relatively far from the surface of the tray table
can be avoided through use of the proximity sensors 58. If a
significant departure from the uniform spacing of the bulbs 14 from
the tray table 5 is detected, a warning can be audibly broadcast
from a speaker 61 provided to the controller 16, presented as the
illumination of a LED on the controller and/or the offending source
12, etc. . . . to help the operator correctly orient the source
12.
[0039] According to other embodiments, the proximity sensors 58 can
be utilized to ensure the source 12 is positioned close enough to
the tray table 5 to achieve the desired level of decontamination
during performance of the decontamination process. The controller
16 can optionally be configured to automatically (e.g., without
human intervention directed specifically toward specifying the
length of the decontamination process) adjust the duration of the
decontamination process based, at least in part, on the distance
separating the source 12 from the tray table 5. For example, the
one or more proximity sensors 58 senses a distance separating the
tray table 5 from the source 12, and transmits a signal indicative
of this distance to the controller 16. Based on this signal, the
controller 16 can determine the approximate value of the
separation, and determine a length of the decontamination process
such that the desired level of decontamination is achieved once the
decontamination with the adjusted length is completed. As a
specific example, based on the signal from the proximity sensor(s)
58, the controller 16 can determine whether the source 12, or at
least the bulbs 14 are within eighteen (18 in.) inches of the tray
table 5. If so, a range indicator 49 such as the LED shown in FIG.
2 provided to the source 12 can be illuminated green to indicate
that the source 12 is sufficiently close to the tray table 5 for a
sixty (60 sec.) second decontamination process. The controller 16
can then initialize an internal timer to sixty (60 sec.) seconds so
the controller 16 can terminate the decontamination process sixty
(60 sec.) seconds after the decontamination process began.
Likewise, if the controller 16 determines that the source 12 is
separated from the tray table 5 by a distance greater than eighteen
(18 in.) inches, but less than twenty four (24 in.) inches, the
range indicator 49 can be illuminated yellow and the controller can
initialize the timer for a ninety (90 sec.) second decontamination
process.
[0040] The embodiments described above utilize one or a plurality
of electronic proximity sensors 58 that use a sensed capacitance
value, reflected light, reflected sound and the like to determine
the distance separating the bulbs 14 from the tray table 5.
However, other embodiments of the decontamination apparatus 10 can
include a probe 58' that can be used instead of, or optionally in
addition to the proximity sensor(s) 58 to establish a separation of
a suitable distance between the bulbs 14 and the tray table 5
surface to achieve the desired level of decontamination. The probe
58' can be an elongated finger that is pivotally coupled to the
housing 20. As the bulbs 14 supported adjacent to that housing 20
are being positioned relative to the tray table 5, the probe 58' is
pivoted relative to the housing 20 to extending toward the tray
table 5, in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to a
plane in which the bulbs 14 are arranged. Establishing contact
between a distal tip 71 of the probe 58' and the tray table 15
establishes a separation between the tray table 5 and the bulbs 14
that is a predetermined distance approximately equal to a length of
the probe 58'.
[0041] In addition to, or instead of adjusting the duration of the
decontamination process based on the proximity of the source 12
relative to the tray table 5, the controller 16 can be adapted to
adjust the duration of the decontamination process based, at least
in part, on the intensity of the UVC light emitted by the bulbs 14
as detected by the intensity sensor(s) 48. For example, if the
source 12 is separated from the tray table 5 by a distance of less
than 18 inches, but the intensity of the UVC light from the bulbs
14 has declined to a value of approximately 80% of the intensity of
the UVC light originally emitted by the bulbs 14, when new, the
controller cause the range indicator 49 to be illuminated yellow
and set the duration of the decontamination process to be ninety
(90 sec.) seconds.
[0042] For embodiments where the controller 16 is located remotely
(e.g., not physically connected to or supported by the base or
other portion of the decontamination apparatus 10) from the
decontamination apparatus 10, the controller can optionally be
supported on a wall of the room 1, for example. For such
embodiments, the controller 16 can be wirelessly connected to
communicate with a transceiver provided in place of the controller
16 on the decontamination apparatus.
[0043] The redundant occupant sensing system includes a plurality
of sensors that each independently senses a different property
indicative of the presence or absence of a room occupant. With
reference once again to FIG. 1, the redundant occupant sensing
system includes a door sensor 54 that is operatively connected to
communicate with the controller 16 via a wireless (e.g., Bluetooth,
IEEE 802.1x, other short-range communication protocol, etc. . . . )
communication channel and detects a status of the door 6 as being
open and/or closed. The door sensor 54 transmits a signal to be
received by the controller 16, which can interpret the signal to
determine if the door 6 is open, closed, or has changed from open
to closed or closed to open. The signal can be embodied by the
transmission of an electric signal over a wireless communication
channel, or a hardwired connection between the door sensor 54 and
the controller 16, or the interruption or establishment of a signal
received by the controller 16.
[0044] Other sensors included in the redundant occupant sensing
system can likewise be positioned at appropriate locations within
the room 1, such as integrated into the controller 16, to detect
other properties that would indicate the presence or absence of an
occupant. Such other sensors can be discrete sensors, or integrated
into a common sensor assembly, which can optionally be housed as
part of the controller 16 as shown in FIG. 4 (sensors integrated
into the controller 16 in FIG. 4 are represented schematically as
broken lines). Regardless of their location and configuration, each
of the plurality of sensors in the redundant occupant sensing
system must sense a property that the room 1 is unoccupied and
communicate this status to the controller 16 before the
decontamination process can begin as described below. The
unoccupied status, as sensed by the redundant occupant sensing
system, must also be maintained while the source(s) 12 of the
decontamination apparatus 10 is/are operational, otherwise the
controller 16 will terminate operation of operational sources
12.
[0045] An example of another of the sensors included in the
integrated sensor assembly of the redundant occupant sensing system
is an immediate proximity sensor 51 that can detect the presence of
an occupant within a predetermined distance from the
decontamination apparatus 10 without making physical contact with
the occupant. The proximity sensor can utilize any suitable
technology such as an electromagnetic field or electromagnetic
radiation (infrared, for instance), to determine the distance of an
object such as an occupant from the proximity sensor 51 to
determine whether the room 1 is occupied. Such a sensor operates by
monitoring the electromagnetic field or evaluating the return
signal for changes, which would be indicative of the presence of an
occupant. Yet other embodiments can utilize an optical sensor that
relies on reflected light or the interruption of a beam of light to
detect the presence of an occupant, or a capacitive sensor that
senses changes in the value of a capacitance sensed within a region
of the room 1 where an occupant is likely to be located. Regardless
of the sensing mechanism utilized, the proximity sensor signals
transmitted to the controller 16 identify changes in the proximity
sensor signal that indicate a change has occurred since an earlier
proximity sensor signal was transmitted (e.g., when the proximity
sensor 51 was normalized under known conditions, such as when the
room was unoccupied and the decontamination apparatus 10 was
initially powered on).
[0046] Another sensor that can optionally be included as part of
the integrated sensor assembly is a sound sensor 55. The sound
sensor can include a microphone or other sound-sensitive circuit
that transmits a signal indicative of the magnitude and/or
frequency of sounds audible within the room 1. Similar to the
proximity sensor 51 and the other sensors of the redundant occupant
sensing system, the sound sensor 55 is operatively connected to
communicate with the controller 16 and transmit signals to the
controller 16 that are interpretable to indicate changes in the
sound level within the bathroom 1. These changes can be relative to
the sound level within the room 1 at a time of an earlier sound
level is measured, or when the sound sensor 55 is normalized such
as when the system is initially powered on when the room is known
to be unoccupied.
[0047] A light sensor 57 can also optionally be included as part of
the sensor assembly to detect changes in light within the room 1.
The light sensor 57 can include a photosensitive component such as
a photodiode, charge coupled device, etc. . . . , that monitors the
intensity of visible light and/or UVC light within the room. Again,
a signal indicative of the sensed light levels within the room 1 is
transmitted to the controller 16, which can determine whether a
change in light level has occurred, which would suggest an occupant
has entered the room 1. Contrarily, the light sensor 57 can also
sense dramatic reductions in the light within the room 1, and
optionally such reductions throughout the entirety of the room 1
(e.g., by utilizing a plurality of light sensors 57 facing
different directions). The controller 16 can be initialized and
configured to initiate the decontamination process under such
circumstances, based on the assumption that the ambient lighting in
the room 1 has been turned off when the last occupant has left as
described below.
[0048] Further, a motion sensor 65 can also optionally be included
in the sensor assembly to sense movement within the room 1. Such
motion sensors 65 can be sense a property such as changes in the
thermal signature at various locations within the room 1. Utilizing
the temperature gradients to detect motion is advantageous in that
inanimate movement in the room (e.g., a towel falling from a rack)
will not trigger the motion sensor 65 to transmit a signal
indicative of movement. Other embodiments of the motion sensor 65
include a photoelectric sensor that utilizes a beam of light or and
laser that travels from a source to a detector. When an occupant
crosses the path of light, the light is blocked and the sensor
detects the obstruction. Such motion sensors 65 can optionally be
positioned at particularly revealing locations such as
approximately 1-3 ft. above the floor at the door 6, for example.
Projecting a beam of light at such a location will almost certainly
be broken if an occupant enters the room 1 through the door 6.
[0049] Certain embodiments of the decontamination system 10 will
include at least one of the aforementioned sensors (door,
proximity, sound, light and movement), and optionally a plurality,
or all of these sensors. However, alternate embodiments can utilize
any other suitable sensor(s) that can transmit a signal indicative
of the presence of a living occupant within the room 1 without
departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, a
carbon dioxide sensor can be utilized to sense a change in the
carbon dioxide level in the room 1 cause by an occupant exhaling.
Other embodiments can utilize a heartbeat monitor that can remotely
sense the pulses of a beating heart without making physical contact
with an occupant. Yet other embodiments can utilize a pressure
sensor operatively connected to the bed 4 to sense when an occupant
is resting thereon, for example.
[0050] An illustrative embodiment of the controller 16 is shown in
FIG. 4. As shown, the controller 16 includes a focus button 85
that, when pushed, temporarily energizes or otherwise activates the
focal indicator 40 to illuminate that portion of the tray table 5
that is to be decontaminated. Also included are manual override
buttons 60, 62 that, when pressed, cause the decontamination
process to be manually initiated and stopped on demand,
respectively. If the start button 60 is selected, the controller 16
implements a delay of a predetermined duration (e.g., 10 seconds)
that is sufficient to allow the person who pressed the start button
60 to exit the room 1 before the UVC bulbs 14 are illuminated as
part of the decontamination process. An audible warning such as a
repeating beep can be broadcast by a speaker 61 provided to the
controller 16 to warn of the impending start of the decontamination
process. As mentioned above, the start button 19 on the fob 17 can
optionally be selected once the operator has exited the room 1
instead, thereby remotely activating the decontamination cycle.
[0051] According to alternate embodiments, however, the controller
16 can optionally be configured to operate in an occupied mode, in
which the one or plurality of sensors of the occupant sensing
system are deactivated to allow the sources 12 to remain active in
the room 1 while the room 1 is occupied by a person. Under certain
circumstances, personnel may where personal protective equipment
("PPE") that shields their person from UVC light emitted by the
sources 12. The PPE allows personnel to safely work in the
environment of the tray table 5 or other surface being
decontaminated while the decontamination apparatus 10 is
operational without the risk of being exposed to significant levels
of UVC light. In an effort to prevent operation of the
decontamination apparatus 10 in the occupied mode, each person
wearing PPE within the room 1 while the decontamination apparatus
10 is active can wear or possess a badge that can be wirelessly
detected within the room 1 by the decontamination apparatus 10.
Movement by personnel equipped with the badge can be ignored by the
controller 16 such that the controller 16 will not prematurely
terminate the decontamination cycle. If, however, movement is
sensed outside of the vicinity of such a badge (e.g., movement
occurs in a region of the room 1 where a badge is not also present
or at least nearby), the controller 16 can determine that an
unprotected occupant has entered the room and terminate the
decontamination cycle. Thus, in use, personnel can optionally wear
the PPE and activate the decontamination apparatus 10 in the
occupied mode while continuing to safely work within the room 1 in
which the decontamination apparatus 10 is located. Alternately, the
decontamination apparatus 10 can be activated in a standard mode,
either locally with a delay or remotely from outside of the room 1,
and the decontamination apparatus 10 can remain active unless the
controller 16 senses the presence of an occupant.
[0052] Following the expiration of the delay, each of the sensors
included in the redundant occupant sensing system is normalized,
indicating a state where it is assumed that the room 1 is
unoccupied. If, at any time during the decontamination process any
of the sensors senses a property that is indicative of a change
from the state in which the sensors were normalized, the controller
16 determines that the room has become occupied, and immediately
terminates the decontamination process. To identify the cause of
termination, one or a plurality of labeled visible indicators 64
such as discrete LEDs, a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), or any
other suitable notification device provided to the controller 16
can be activated. For example, the proximity indicator 66 can be
illuminated to indicate that the proximity sensor triggered
termination; the sound indicator 68 can be illuminated to indicate
that the sound sensor triggered termination; the light indicator 70
can be illuminated to indicate that the light sensor triggered
termination; the motion indicator 72 can be illuminated to indicate
that the motion sensor triggered termination; and the door
indicator 74 can be illuminated to indicate that the door sensor 54
triggered termination. The specific visible indicators 64 included
as part of the controller 16 can correspond to the specific sensors
present.
[0053] Rather than being activated remotely utilizing the fob 17 or
locally with the delay, the decontamination apparatus 10
(specifically, the controller 16) can optionally be configured to
initiate a decontamination process in response to sensing a change
in the sensed light levels in its ambient environment according to
alternate embodiments. For example, the controller 16 can
optionally be initialized through pressing the start button 19 on
the fob 17 three times in quick succession. In response to
receiving such a communication from the fob 17, the controller 16
can enter a standby mode and sense the current light level in the
room 1. In response to sensing a dramatic drop in the light level
relative to the originally-sensed light level, the controller 16
can optionally sound an audible alarm during the delay before
subsequently energizing the bulbs 14.
[0054] Regardless of the operational mode of the decontamination
apparatus 10, if premature termination of the decontamination
process occurs before the decontamination process is complete
(e.g., before the UVC bulbs 14 have been illuminated for the time
required to achieve the desired level of pathogen reduction), a
cycle status indicator 75 can be illuminated in a manner indicative
of such termination. For example, the cycle status indicator 75 can
be illuminated red, and/or made to flash to call an operator's
attention to the premature termination of the decontamination
process. The manual pressing of a reset button 76 can be required
by the controller 16 before the decontamination process can be
restarted. Requiring the reset button 76 to be pushed will allow an
operator to ensure that the condition resulting in termination of
the decontamination apparatus has been cleared before resetting the
controller 16. According to alternate embodiments, the cycle status
indicator 75 can optionally be provided to the housing 20 of each
source 12 as shown in FIG. 2. If a decontamination process is
interrupted, each specific source 12 that was interrupted and did
not successfully complete the decontamination process can be
identified through the state of the cycle status indicator 75
thereon.
[0055] Premature termination of the decontamination apparatus can
be saved in a log stored on a computer-readable medium (e.g., SD
card inserted into SD card port 80 provided to the controller 16,
built in hard drive or other non-transitory computer-readable
medium provided to the controller 16, remote hard drive or other
non-transitory medium remotely located over a hospital
communication network) in communication with the controller 16.
Such a log can maintain data concerning the cause of an
interruption, a time of an interruption, information indicative of
the specific room in which premature termination of the
decontamination process occurred, and any other data pertaining to
the decontaminated state of the room 1. Such data can be utilized
to diagnose problems such as a faulty sensor included in the
redundant occupant sensing system, and to promote regular
decontamination of the room 1.
[0056] The controller 16 can optionally be configured to restart a
prematurely-terminated decontamination cycle without manual user
intervention. For example, once all of the conditions sensed by the
sensors in the redundant occupant sensing system return to their
normalized values, the controller 16 can initiate a timer to
establish a restart delay. If all of the conditions remain at their
normalized values for the duration of the restart delay, the
controller 16 can automatically restart the decontamination process
by once again activating the UVC bulbs 14 for the predetermined
cycle time. This process of restarting the decontamination process
can optionally be repeated until the decontamination process has
been completed successfully. If an automatically restarted
decontamination process is successfully completed, the cycle status
indicator 75 can reflect the successful completion of the
decontamination process.
[0057] In the absence of any conditions interrupting the
decontamination process, the decontamination process will remain
active, with the UVC bulbs 14 illuminated and the redundant
occupant sensing system monitoring conditions within the room 1 for
any changes that would indicate the entrance of an occupant for a
predetermined cycle time. The predetermined cycle time can be
manually input and programmed into the controller 16 via a timer
input system 78 provided to the controller 16, or can be
established through an administration terminal and delivered to the
controller 16 via a portable computer-readable medium such as an SD
card inserted into an SD card slot 80 provided to the controller
16.
[0058] According to alternate embodiments, actions such as
adjusting the duration of the decontamination process and actions
other than manually initiating the decontamination process can be
carried out over a communication network from a remotely-located
administration terminal. The cycle time can be independently
established to a custom duration for each object to be
decontaminated depending on factors such as the size of the room,
the number and intensity of the UVC bulbs 14 to be utilized, the
distance separating the source 12 from the surface being
decontaminated, etc. . . . to achieve the level of decontamination
desired to be achieved. For instance,
[0059] According to alternate embodiments, a default value that can
be used for most installations can be utilized. The default value
can be selected to be "overkill", meaning that the default duration
will be longer than required to achieve the desired level of
decontamination for most installations based, at least in part, on
assumptions about the size of the room, the number and intensity of
the UVC bulbs 14 to be utilized, the distance separating the source
12 from the surfaces to be decontaminated, etc. . . .
[0060] Once the decontamination process has been successfully
completed, the cycle status indicator 75 can be illuminated as a
solid (i.e., non-flashing) green color or otherwise notify an
observer that the decontamination process has been successfully
completed. Additionally, successful completion of the
decontamination process can be logged on the computer-readable
medium in communication with the controller 16, documenting a time
when the room was last successfully decontaminated.
[0061] Illustrative embodiments have been described, hereinabove.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above
devices and methods may incorporate changes and modifications
without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is
intended to include all such modifications and alterations within
the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, to the extent that
the term "includes" is used in either the detailed description or
the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner
similar to the term "comprising" as "comprising" is interpreted
when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
* * * * *